Tsukiakari
by NoctIsFishing
Summary: They failed to save their friend from Laylamon's wrath and nearly lost their lives in the process. She wakes up with no memories, while her Digimon partner wakes up and remembers it all. As she pieces everything together, her partner will do whatever it takes before she makes the same mistake, and loses more than her heart can handle. [tsukiakari: moonlit]
1. Chapter 1

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\- tsukiakari -

\- chapter one -

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The light is blinding after being in darkness for so long.

My eyes aren't even open, but its blazing radiance pierce through my lids. I feel my cheeks squint and a sharp burst of air from my lungs and up my throat. The sound of beeping falls calmly on my ears, and when I think to turn my head, I realize that I'm lying against a soft pillow, my body sinking into a mattress, sturdy yet comfortable.

The moment I move, I feel as though a weight is pushing down on me.

"Easy, there," I hear a deep, soothing voice near me. "You've just woken up."

Slowly, I open my eyes, and all I see is a blur. My brain tells me to blink, but it takes a few moments for me to do it. As I do it the first time, the portrait in front of me begins to sharpen its focus, and the fuzzy shape of someone enters my view.

I blink twice, but immediately regret the harsh nauseating feeling that follows.

"Easy there, sweetie. Take your time."

The blur lessens gradually, and the portrait eventually takes its shape. I acknowledge that I'm in a hospital bed, where its head has my upper body raised in a sitting position. I'm in a gown, and the beeping is sounding off from the block machine on my right, but I gather it's from the wires on my chest, and the needles stuck in my arm.

I survey the brightly-lit room, and to my right, the fuzzy shape is now a blue-haired man in a pristine, white long coat. He sits in a chair next to my bed, and with a delicate turn to face him, I meet his dark, kind eyes behind his glasses. He appears calm and patient, and his lips curve upward into a warm smile.

I've never seen him before. So, why does he look so familiar?

I open my mouth to speak, but no more than a weak, raspy sound comes out.

"Wh… wha…"

Apprehension crawls into my mind the more I move my lips and no voice comes out. A new beat drums inside of my chest, and I feel my breathing grow heavier.

"It's okay," the man says. "Everything is just slowly coming back to you."

"Where... am I?" I finally breathe out. My voice sounds foreign to me, as though I hadn't heard myself talk in a long time.

"You are in Tokyo Medical Center."

"Why… Why am I this way?"

The man turns his head slightly, but doesn't faze. "You have just woken up from a coma. You've been asleep for a very long time."

"How long…?"

"For one year."

"One..."

One year. I blink as I try to reach into the darkness of my mind, the darkness I had just left. I go back and search for memories, moments of light before I submerged. I barely dip in before feeling something shooting up my throat.

The man is quick to throw a bag in front of me. I throw up into it just in time.

What the hell happened to me?

"Try not to push yourself," says the man, who is now rubbing my back gently. "I don't want to overwhelm you."

When I stop throwing up, I wipe my mouth with a tissue and move my long, red hair away from my eyes.

"I am Dr. Kido," he continues, taking the bag and tissue from me and swapping it with a glass of water. "You can call me Joe, if you'd like."

"Joe…" I take a few sips from the glass, but the name dances on my lips as though it wants to ring up a memory. As I dwell on it, I notice from the corner of my eye that Joe is watching me, still with the kind, patient eyes, but also as though he was waiting. "Dr. Kido…"

I draw a blank. I close my eyes to let the name disappear into the abyss of my mind.

"Just take it slow, okay?" Joe says, and I feel his hand place over mine. "It's just good to see you awake after all this time, Sora."

My eyes open at that, and I turn my head to look at him, confused.

"Why are you calling me that?" I asked, and he appears to freeze, his lips parting slightly.

"That's your name. It's Sora. Takenouchi Sora."

_Sora…_

I look over to a table on the side of my room, where I notice the name printed on a few of the cards. There's a teddy bear, and along with a bouquet of flowers. Somehow, I recognize the tulips of different colors in the assortment, and that they have been cut from their stems a few days ago.

"Your mother's been bring them from her shop since you've been in here," Joe explains. "Well, that was until Hatsumi offered. He's been visiting you a lot. Sora..?"

Dr. Kido must have noticed me lingering on the thought. I don't remember this person at all, but I am certain my basic Japanese knowledge hasn't left me. _Hatsumi. Moon. Flower. _...Isn't it normally a female name…?

"You… mentioned 'he'."

"Yes. He brought these in yesterday. He said he was going to visit later today- Ah, speak of the Devimon."

'Devimon'? He meant 'devil', right?

I look toward the doorway and hear a voice, deep and warm. I see the step of his sneaker, and at first glance, I expect his hair to be long and messy, and his brown eyes lighting up with laughter I feel like I've been wanting to see for so long.

When he steps in front of the door, I realize his hair is brown, but short and combed neatly, much like Dr. Kido's. His green eyes look at me, glistening in the light, moreso with the tears forming in them.

"I don't believe it… Sora.. you're awake."

I try to register that name being mine as he approaches me and takes my right hand gently, but I can tell he is wanting to do more. He looks at me with worry, his eyes searching mine cautiously. I must be important to him, and I wish I knew how.

"H...Hatsumi?" I ask, my eyes slightly narrowing as I try to remember him.

"Dr. Kido must have told you about me."

"A.. A little…" I pause as the same thought from before remains stuck in my mind. "You have a strange name.. But, it's a pretty name."

Hatsumi laughed, a few tears rolling down his cheeks. "That's what you said the first time we met. Don't you remember? It was the first day of our third year in high school..."

"Who are you?" I ask. Hatsumi looks at Dr. Kido, his eagerness appearing to be held back by his hesitation. Dr. Kido looks back with a cautioning stare. Then, he raises my hand up between the two of us. That is when I realize there is a glint on my fingers - a diamond ring on one of them.

_Hatsumi and I…_

The blankness of my mind remains as I try to remember.

"You… we… bag…"

"Sora?" Dr. Kido says.

"Bag!" I call out more desperately.

A bag covers my mouth as I spill once again. Dr. Kido's hand rubs my back just like before. I wish I understood.

"Ta…" I wheeze as I collect my breathing.

The two dart looks at each other.

"Tai…" I say, looking to them as more questions form. I want more answers.

"You need to rest, sweetie." Hatsumi jumps in. Dr. Kido looks as though he wants to say something more, but Hatsumi is already in front of him. "Don't worry about trying to remember anything more. You just woke up, after all."

I stare at him, wanting to disagree, but decide he might be right. I know I don't want to have to ask for another bag.

I lay back, and he squeezes my hand.

"I'm so glad you're awake," he says. He looks so relieved. I smile at him, glad that he no longer looks worried. I can tell how much he cares and that he is just as important to me as I am to him.

He kisses my forehead. I relax even more as I close my eyes and breathe slow.

_Tai…_

Why can't that name escape me?

* * *

_Sora._

The voice in my head calls that name. I swear I'd heard it many times before.

_Sora._

Is that my voice I hear? It has to be.

My voice calls her, and she appears before me, the earth rumbling around us, but the wide amber eyes on her smile gives me a sinking feeling. She's about to do something that will change her forever.

_Sora, are you sure?_

She nods with determination. I want to stop her, but I stand by her, trusting her will to fight. The others scream at her in protest. The boy they call the fearless leader grabs her wrist, showing anything but fearless in his gaze.

She kisses the boy on his cheek, but I sense she regrets hesitating. His reddened cheeks tell me he feels the same.

_I'll be by your side always, Sora, _I remember telling her.

Together, she runs past the crashing boulders and the shaking earth as I hover above her, my flaming body and wings guarding her. I feel myself evolve, and she grabs onto me as I leap into the air and flap my wings.

_"We have to save him, Garudamon!"_

Everything else is a blur. I dodge attacks from a dark Digimon that looks almost human. A priestess in purple robes. A real human boy is with her. My human partner calls out his name. The boy flashes a malicious smile as the dark Digimon laughs, and suddenly I'm shot down on the ground.

Sora is held back, calling my name with desperation as the boy stands over me, his smile and green-eyed stare triumphant, and I hear myself cry out in pain before I am met with darkness-

"Nyokimon!"

I wake up to a familiar husky voice. I look up and see blue eyes as bold as the morning sky right at dawn. I recognized his red fur and purple stripes right away.

"Elecmon," I squeaked.

"Welcome, my little friend! You're the first hatch today. I'll get you into your crib with the other Fresh forms in no time-"

"S...Sora…"

Elecmon's smile disappears and his expression turn into horror.

"Did you just say… Are you…?"

"Sora!" I squeak louder. I know I have to find her. I have to know that she's safe. As much as I remember, our plan to defeat the dark Digimon and save her friend, the human boy… We failed.

I have to find her before Laylamon tries to kill her again.


	2. Chapter 2

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\- tsukiakari -

\- chapter two -

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Elecmon is quick to send the news of my rebirth to the other digimon. In a mere couple of hours, I start to hear familiar voices amid the squeaks and chirps of the fresh form digimon around me.

"Is it her? Is it her?"

"Elecmon said it was Nyokimon, so it has to be!"

"I wanna see!"

Following the voices, I watch as a few heads appear over the frills of my bassinet. Agumon, Palmon, Gomamon, and Tentomon stare down at me, with Patamon flapping his wings over them.

"Ah-!" I yelp, but the rest of his name doesn't want to come out.

"How do we know it's really her?" Gomamon inquires, and I glower at him with a squeak.

"That's her, alright," Gatomon says as Palmon giggles.

"It's been a whole year!" Palmon says with a smile. "It's so nice to see you again!"

I bounce up and down on my bed. Seeing that all of my fellow Digimon pals stand before me, I know it's the perfect chance for me to tell them what happened right before my death. For all that I'm sure of, Laylamon is still alive, and she desperately wants Sora dead.

But my friends look back at me in confusion as my words turn into squeals and high-pitched gibberish.

"Calm down, Nyoki," I hear Elecmon say, his head appearing before the others. "You'll wear out if you keep forcing yourself."

It didn't make sense at all. I was able to call Elecmon's name before. I even called _her_ name.

I try to say 'Sora' again, but it sounds like a low whine this time.

"There, there," Elecmon says in a soothing voice. "You'll be able to talk when you digivolve."

"Guys!" Tentomon calls out then. "I've got ahold of Izzy! Gather 'round!"

"Hold on, my dear," Elecmon tells me, and suddenly the world is moving around me, and the clouds above are heading backwards from the direction I was heading. When I stop, I peer over the edge of my bassinet and see the rest of the Digimon around a computer monitor, with Izzy's face appearing. There is a morose look about him, until his eyes widen when he notices me.

"No way!" Izzy exclaims. "Welcome back, Nyokimon! That's a pleasant surprise, knowing that Sora just woke up a few hours ago."

"Sora's awake?!" Patamon asks in surprise, and I start to wonder what happened to Sora while I was gone. I watch with curiosity as the other Digimon chatter amongst themselves with excitement.

"Joe just sent us a group message. They've run tests on her and the good news is she'll be okay, only…"

"What is it?" asks Gabumon, and I observe Izzy's smile fading.

"She doesn't remember anything. She doesn't remember what happened, or who she is. It's like her whole memory's been wiped."

The other Digimon sound sad as they hear this news, but all I want to do is scream. My poor human partner! It _had_ to be Laylamon's doing. She must have done something to Sora back then. And I couldn't be there to protect her.

Why wasn't I strong enough?

All I can do is whine as I hear this news.

"I sure hope she gets better soon so that we can see her," Agumon says, in hopes to lighten the mood.

"Well… it is going to be a while before we even get to," is Izzy's next response that prompts more confusion. "Trust me, Joe tried the best he could to fight about this. He's her primary doctor, after all, and he's been overseeing her this whole time."

"Fight about what?" asks Patamon.

"We're not allowed to visit her right now. It might be too overwhelming for her, and she needs some time to get used to herself physically and mentally before we can."

I can tell by Izzy's frown that he doesn't agree with this fact at all.

"Well, if you can't visit her, then who can?" Tentomon asks.

"Joe can still see her, at least. Other than that, it's her parents and Hatsumi."

_Hatsumi?_

I let out a shriek, but I want to scream out so much more. If he's still around, then that confirms that Laylamon's plan is still the same, and that Sora is still in danger.

The others turn to me as I jump out of the bassinet and towards Izzy on the screen. The crowd of Digimon split as they let me through. Izzy watches in alarm as I try to speak. But the words still don't come out. Instead, I start to feel tears sting my eyes when I stare helplessly toward the ground.

"Don't worry, Nyokimon," I hear Izzy say gently. "We're doing our best to keep Sora safe."

I feel Agumon's palm pat my head lightly. Patamon flies to my side and gives me a comforting nuzzle.

"I'm meeting with the others later tonight. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the digital portals to open again. We'll be sure to keep you guys updated."

"Roger that, Izzy!" Tentomon exclaims.

The screen shuts off, and the other Digimon turn to each other.

"I wonder how Mimi and the others must be feeling right now," Palmon says.

"Joe must be exhausted," Gomamon replies, "But I'm sure he's doing a great job. He's always going on and on about his work whenever we get to chat."

"TK must be really excited to know that she's awake!" says Patamon.

"Kari, too!" Gatomon adds.

"I'm sure Matt is," Gabumon says. "I could tell how hard it's been on him and for everyone else."

I wait to hear about Tai, but silence falls among them, and they turn their heads to Agumon, who appears to be in thought.

"Hmm," Agumon says with a start. "Tai always likes to speak his mind about everything, but not about this."

I can tell, even as Agumon stares into the distance, that he knows more than he wants to say. It makes sense for everyone to agree with him and stay quiet after that. It's a code of confidence from the bond between Digimon and human partners.

Suddenly, I am lifted from the ground by Elecmon.

"It's time for lunch, my dear friend," Elecmon says. Then, he turns to the other Digimon. "It's best if you all stayed nearby. I'm sure this little spitfire will digivolve in no time."

I hope I digivolve soon. When I do, I'll be able to tell my friends everything.

* * *

I spend a few hours a day in the physical therapy room, relearning how to put one foot in front of the other. The nurses caution me not to push myself too hard whenever I fall from the walking bars, but I am too stubborn to listen.

It takes me two and a half weeks to walk without assistance. Mom laughs at the fact that I persisted and kept going, something that had always been in my nature.

At least, I remember my mom and dad. I always got along with my dad, but I remember the arguments with my mom about soccer when I was younger, and then, when we got along well enough for her to coach me in tennis from middle school and onward. She had even convinced me into helping her with her ikebana.

I can't remember the turning point.

There are still a lot of other things that I have trouble remembering. Summer camp in grade school was a blur, and there were patches of memories that my mind seemed to block me from.

Although I don't remember him either, Hatsumi has been by my side as much as he could be. He was there in the physical therapy room with me, cheering me on and trying to keep me in good spirits. He and my parents always came by during visiting hours to keep me company.

The ring on my finger continues to leave me with intrigue, as well as the various gifts left on the side table by the door of my room. I wonder about the people who brought them for me, and why I haven't seen anyone else visit me.

I think about that one day, as Dr. Kido stands up from my bedside and clips his pen to his clipboard. Looking over to the table of gifts, I see the bouquet of day-old tulips that I knew my mom had brought over, and a stem full of white-petaled blossoms tucked under the arm of the teddy bear. It makes me smile.

"I didn't notice you brought in new flowers for me today, Hatsumi," I say to him.

He looks over to the bear as he sits on the other side of my bed, and he appears stunned.

"That's because… I didn't," he says. Dr. Kido stops from walking out of the room, and Hatsumi looks at him in disbelief.

I furrow my brow. "Then, who did?"

"Your mother must have brought it in right before the end of visiting hours," replies Dr. Kido, as though he wanted to break the seemingly unnatural silence. "You were asleep by then."

"I see."

Dr. Kido walks out without another word, and Hatsumi still looks skeptical. He walks over to the bear, careful with his fingers over the flowers.

"Cherry blossoms," he says, but I immediately want to correct him.

"No, they're plum blossoms," I say. "They don't have splits in their petals. I love those."

"Really? I've always known tulips to be your favorite."

"Really…?"

I watch Hatsumi stare down at the plum blossoms. I can't see the expression on his face, which makes me start to worry. I want to believe him. It's moments like this which I question whether it's his memories that are right, rather than what I feel.

"I must be confused, then," I decide to say, in hopes to ease my worries. "The tulips you and my mom bring are so beautiful, Hatsumi. How can I not love them?"

He turns to me then, his lips forming a smile. "You've always been so kind," he tells me. "It's only been a few weeks. You'll be back to your old self sooner than you know it."

I yawn and my eyelids begin to feel heavy, which was usual during the day; although, I've been able to stay awake for longer periods as each day passed. Hatsumi takes my sleepy expression as a sign to leave.

"It's okay that you call me Hatsu, Sora," he says before he leaves. "I'm about to be forever yours, if you hadn't already noticed."

I laugh with him, but I can't help but feel uncertain.

"Okay. See you later, Hatsu."

He plants a kiss on my forehead, then leaves me alone in my room. My eyes drift from the closed door back to the teddy bear with the plum blossoms.

I slide off of my bed and onto my feet, moving one foot in front of the other toward the table. Dr. Kido might scold me later if he found out I was walking without anyone watching, but I know I can handle moving around on my own.

The gifts have tags with names that I don't recognize. There's a CD from Matt; a bath set from Mimi; from Izzy, a book about the life and football career of Gianluigi Buffon.

"Gigi…" I mutter aloud, unsure where that came from. When I pick up the greeting card from Izzy, I realize I might have known it from memory:

"_Thought you needed a good read about your favorite football player when you wake up. We all know how much you love Gigi! :)"_

There are cards from others, too: TK, Kari, and a card signed by a group, including Yolei, Davis, and Ken.

Why can't I remember who any of these people are?

I stop at the bear, which doesn't have a tag. As I squeeze its paw, I can't help but smile at how soft and squishy it feels. No one knew who had gifted me the bear, but Hatsu thought it was a childish thing to give. As silly as it seems, I find comfort with it in my presence, and I want to hold it in my arms.

But once I do, a flash of a memory enters my mind.

"_Hey, Sora?"_

"_It's nothing. I'm fine."_

"_No… You're not."_

_His voice is deep and warm, and I felt how troubled I was at that moment, and how much I wanted him to leave._

"_Sora."_

"_I said, 'I'm fine'!"_

_He didn't leave; instead, I felt his arms around me, and I pulled myself closer to him._

"_Just know this. No matter what, I will never let anything happen to you. I swear it."_

_I lowered my face into his chest with my eyes watering, until I finally let the tears fall._

I wipe my eyes once the memory fades, and I make sure that I take hold of the edge of the table to keep my balance. The memory is unlike any that has surfaced since I awoke. I don't remember it at all, but with my teary eyes and my pounding heart, I want to believe that it's real.

I think about paging a nurse, but I decide not to trouble them. They'll only try to comfort me and probably send for my mom or for Hatsu to come back.

But even if I don't know who gave me the bear, or even those whose names are written on the gifts that filled up the table… they are the ones who I urge to see even more. As I hold the bear closely to my chest, I turn to walk back to my bed, hoping that I get to see all of them soon.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for your reviews, follows, and favs! And thanks so much for your patience. It feels good to be back! *hearts*


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